Supreme Court denies teachers' bid for speedy contract ruling

A teachers union bid to compel the state labor board to issue a ruling in a petition for relief from the terms of a contract imposed on teachers in July 2011 has failed.

The Hawaii Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the Hawaii Labor Relations Board has discretion over when it will issue a ruling on the petition, filed by the teachers union.

The Hawaii State Teachers Association had asked the high court to compel the labor board to issue a ruling, saying the board had had more than enough time to consider the merits of the case.

The supreme court had previously said the HLRB could not be compelled to issue a ruling in the union’s prohibited-practice case against the state, which argues the imposed contract violated members’ rights.